WORLAND – On the way to the Special Olympic Wyoming Summer Games in Laramie on May 18, the “Flame of Hope” will pass through Worland on Saturday.

Part of the Wyoming Law Enforcement Torch Run, Washakie County law enforcement will participate in their portion of the run beginning at 1 p.m. at the Washakie Museum, and concluding at the Washakie County Sheriff’s Office. A barbecue is scheduled to follow the ceremony.

Members of the Highway Patrol Worland Division, Washakie County Sheriff’s Office and Worland Police Department will be in attendance with the Special Olympics guests.

Highway Patrol Lieutenant Karl Germain will relay the torch from Greybull to Worland, where Trooper Brandon Kidgell will run the torch to the courthouse and sheriff’s office. The torch will then be transported by the Highway Patrol to Riverton.

According to Special Olympics Wyoming, the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics is the movement’s largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle, at its most basic level the Torch Run is an actual running event, in which officers and athletes run the Flame of Hope to the opening ceremonies of local Special Olympics competitions and State and National Games.

Annually, more than 85,000 volunteer law enforcement officers participate in the torch run throughout 35 nations, 12 Canadian provinces and 50 US states, raising more than $50 million for local Special Olympics programs in 2013 and over $500 million since its inception in 1981.